Table.



G. A, MYERS. TABLE.

APPLIOATI'ON FILED FBB.14, 190a.

925,370, Patented June 15,1909.

2 SHEETS-:SHEET 1.

ITNESSES: 14

1 f/VVENTOR 6'60 6A ZJZO s A TTORJVE Y5 G. A. MYERS.

TABLE.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 14, 190B.

925,370. Patented June 15,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

17 I j; L g if 22 24 WITNESSES: We]? INT 1 3N701? A TTORNE Y5 GEORGE A. MYERS, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

TAB LE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 14, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909;

Serial No. 415,865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. MYERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Table, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in tables, and is designed more particularly for application to extension tables used for domestic purposes, although applicable to other purposes.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the use in an extension table of separate leaves, and to make the table complete in itself whether closed to its smallest size or extended to its greatest length, or whether extended to any intermediate length.

The invention comprises a table composed of two end sections, after the manner of an ordinary extension table, with extension slides similar to those commonly used in tables of this class. The top of the table, however, is provided with a flexible covering with a spring roller at one end for carrying the covering rolled up thereon and for permitting the covering to be unrolled when the two parts of the table are moved one from the other. Beneath the flexible covering and resting on the extension slides is an interconnected series of transverse strips, the said strips being connected together at their ends in pairs and each pair being connected to the next adjacent pairs midway of their length. At the central points and ends the members of each pair of strips are connected to limit the extent of movement between the two members of each pair in the direction of the length of the table.

The table is provided with an edge rail, which latter carries adjacent to the edges of the pairs of lateral strips tongues arranged to engage in recesses or seats in the joined ends of the lateral strips.

The invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which,

Figure lis a perspective view'of anextension table constructed in accordance with the present invention, a portion of the flexible covering being broken away; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same, with the legs in section; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of the table top, with a portion shown in elevation; and Fig. 4 is a cross section of a portion of the table top.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a table composed of two end sections 1 and 2. The end section 1 is provided With a pair of fixed rails 3, and the end section 2 is provided with a pair of fixedrails 4; that is, the rails 3 are fixed to the section 1 and the rails 4 are fixed to the section 2. Interposed between the rails 3 and 4 is another pair of rails 5 movable with relation to both pairs of rails 3 and 4. Though not so shown in the drawings, it will be understood that these rails are provided with tongues and grooves and stops, so that the table may be drawn out to the limit of its extension or pushed together until the two sections abut, after the manner of an ordinary extension table, and these rails constitute the ordinary sliding rails of an extension table, and, therefore, need no particular illustration or description.

Secured to the table section'l by means of the rails 3 is a cross strip 6 carrying legs 7, and secured to the section 2 by means of the rails 4 is a cross strip 8 carrying legs 9, and secured to the intermediate rails 5 is another cross strip 10 carrying a center leg 11, all after the manner of an ordinary extension table. Each end 1 and 2 of the table top is composed of a top leaf 12 with depending ends 13 and sides 14, which may be made of orn'amental molding to add to the esthetic effect of the table. The sides 14 extend to a greater distance'than does the top 12, and

surrounding the edge of the table are molding strips 15, one strip extending across the end of the table section and other strips extending to the ends of the side sections 14. Extending across the top of the sections of the table at the innerend of the top leaf 12 is a bar 16, between which and the free end of the side strips 14 the said strips are cut away for a purpose which will presently appear.

Attached to one bar 16 is one end of a flexible table cover 17, the other end of which is wound upon a roller 18 suitably journaled between the two side strips 14 of the table section 1 at the inner edge of the top leaf 12 thereof, and beyond this roller and up to the inner ends of the side strips 14 of the table section 1 these last-named stri s are recessed similar to the strips of the tab c section 2.

Since the flexible cover and roller, Which may be of the spring roller type, in themselves form no part of the present invention and have heretofore been used in connection with extension tables, it is not deemed necessary to describe these parts in detail further than to state that the spring roller is or may be similar to the ordinary curtain roller and may be provided, like the ordinary curtain roller, with tension regulating devices, and is intended to take up the flexible covering 17 when the table sections are brought together, and to permit the same to unwind from the roller when the table sections are moved away from each other, thus keeping the table cover always in a taut condition. Since this table cover may be made of cloth, and, as will hereinafter appear, is supported at many points, and as the top of the cloth may be made coincident with the top of the leaves 12 of the table sections 1 and 2, the table top, whether the table sections be moved together or the table be extended, is to all practical purposes smooth and unbroken.

Resting upon the rails 3, 4 and 5 are a number of strips 19 of suflicient length to extend from one side molding 15 to the other side molding 15, with the ends resting upon the sides 14 in the recesses formed therein when the table sections are closed together so that the sides 14 abut. These strips are much 'wider than they are thick and they rest upon their edges on the rails 3, 4 and 5. The strips 19 are secured together at their ends in pairs, as indicated at 20, and at their centers the strips of each pair are secured to the adjacent strips of the next pairs, as indicated at 21. The strips may be joined together by glue or rivets or any other suitable means, and since no special means are shown in the drawings it may be considered that as shown these strips are glued together at their meeting3points.

eing quite thin the stri s are elastic in the direction of extension of the table, and when the table is drawn apart, with the end strips of the entire series connected to the cross bars 16 at the inner ends of the top leaves 12 of the table sections, these strips being connected at their outer ends spread apart at their middle portions, so that throughout their length they are more or less bowed.

WVhen the table sections are closed together the strips 19 are practically in contact throughout their length, and when the table is extended to its greatest length these strips are still uite close together, since there are many of t e strips and but little separation of the individual strips is necessary to make up the sum total of the extension. In order that these strips may be separated to practically the same amount at their center portions they are connected through the center and at each end by a flexible band 22 attached to each air of strips, with enough slack to permit t e necessarydegree of separation of the strips of each pair when the table is extended to its full length. By this means each pair of strips is constrained to separate to the same extent when the table is lengthened out to its utmost limit. At the edges of the table there is a similar separation, which also is quite small; The strips 19 resting upon the rails 3, 4 and 5 are supported quite near their ends, and, therefore, the edges of the table are firm and unyielding, and this is more especially due to the fact that the strips of each air are firmly united at these ends. The e asticity of the strips 19 and the spring in the roller 18 of course tends to draw the end sections of the table together when the table is extended, but this tendency is small as compared with the weight of the table and the friction of the sliding parts. For this reason the table when extended will remain in any position of adjustment, and the spring action of the strips and the spring in the roller is insufficient to cause any collapsing action of the table.

The molding strips 15 where they extend along the recessed portions of the sides 14 are provided with longitudinal tongues 23 which engage in corresponding recesses 24 formed in the joined ends of the pairs of strips 19. These tongues 23 engaging in the recesses or notches 24 are particularly valuable when the table is being moved or shipped, in that all the parts will be held in place.

The ends of the side molding strips 15 where they extend along the sides 14 adjacent to the recessed portions of said sides 14 have little or no support and so, in order that these stri s may be securely braced, they are joine to the sides 14 at the free ends thereof by means of brackets or connecting blocks 25. 7

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there is always a full support for the table top, and that whether the table be in the eX- tended or contracted position or in any intermediate position the supporting parts are to all intents and purposes equally distributed and are so close together that the top acts as though made of solid material similar to the removable leaves usually employed in extension tables. However, there are no removable parts to a table formed in accordance with the present invention, and, consequently, the table may be lengthened or contracted to any extent at anytime without the necessity of even removing the table cloth for the purpose, where such a cloth is used.

I claim 1. An extension table comprising two end sections, sliding rails connecting the same, a cover adjustable proportionately to the movement of the table sections relative to each other, and supports for said cover oar- V ried by the rails and comprising elastic stri s laterally disposed with reference to the tab e,

said strips being joined at their ends in airs and each strip being joined at the midd e to the adjacent strip of the next pair, and the end strips of the series being connected to the respective end sections of the table, the said strips being movable to and from each other by the movement of the end sections of the table.

2. An extension table comprising end sections, sliding rails connecting the same, a cover having one end connected to one of the end sections, a spring roller housed in the other end section and connected to the corresponding end of the cover, and a support for the cover consisting of a continuous series of elastic strips connected together alternately at their end and middle portions and joined to and joining the end sections, said series of strips being upheld by the sliding rails and capable of extension and contraction With the movement of the end sections.

3. An extension table having tWo end sections movable relative one to the other, said sections having recesses formed therein, and an extensible and collapsible series of laterally disposed elastic strips joined together alternately at their end and middle portions and also joined to and joining said end sections and capable of moving into and out of the recesses formed in the said end sections, said strips also having recesses formed in their ends, and side strips applied to the sides of the table sections and having tongues adapted to enter the recesses formed in the ends of the strips.

4. An extension table having tWo' end sections movable relative one to the other, an extensible and collapsible series of laterally disposed elastic strips joined together alternately at their ends and middle portions and also joined to and joining the said end sections, a cover supported by the strips and adjustable proportionately to the relative movement of the said end sections, and means for upholding the strips.

5. An extension table comprising tWo end sections having recesses formed therein, sliding rails connecting said end sections, a cover having one end connected to one ofthe end sections, a spring roller housed in the other end section and connected to the corresponding end of the cover, and an extensible and collapsible series of laterally disposed elastic strips joined together alternately at their ends and middle portions and also joined to and joining the said end sections and capable of moving into and out of the recesses formed in the said end sections, the strips also having recesses formed in their ends, side strips applied to the sides of the table sections and having tongues adapted to enter the recesses formed in the ends of the strips and flexible spacing bands connected to all the pairs of strips at the middle portions and at each end thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE A. MYERS.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. WESTON, WINIFRED OAsE. 

